Retrofit Sliding Helmet Visor

Abstract

A horizontally extendable retrofit assembly for a helmet visor that extends for protection of the wearer's the face. A retrofit visor attachment for a helmet visor includes a flexible polymer visor shaped to connect to existing fixed helmet visors commonly found on motocross helmets. Such an add-on will fit a multitude of helmet configurations. The retrofit includes a visor and a stowage mechanism for enabling the visor to extend and retract underneath the preexisting fixed visor. When in the usage position, the retrofit visor increases the horizontal surface area of visor-retrofit combination so that the amount of protection provided by the fixed visor is substantially increased. Thus, so is the amount of protection to the exposed portions of a wearer's face.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A retrofit visor assembly for a helmet with a preexisting visor comprising in combination:
 an existing helmet visor;   a retrofit visor made of a flexible polymer shaped to be attached to two edge portions of said existing helmet visor;   said retrofit visor having a bill portion and a grooved portion comprising a plurality of grooves; and   a means for attaching said retrofit visor grooved portion to said existing helmet visor including at least two rails for releasably coupling at least one of a plurality of said groves at a time when said retrofit visor is flexed to follow the arcuate contour of said existing visor thereby converting said existing visor to a existing/retrofit visor combination.   
     
     
         2 . A helmet comprising:
 a curved solid protective member shaped to cover portions of a human head, wherein said protective member has a top portion, forehead portion side portions, a back portion, chin portion an interior, an exterior, and a facial opening;   a preexisting visor having a front, back, right, and left side affixed to the forehead portion of the protective member;   at least two side guides horizontally affixed to the preexisting visor one along said right side and one along said left side;   a retrofit visor engaged in said guides so as to be horizontally moveable along said guides forward and backward between usage and stowage positions, wherein said retrofit visor extends the area covered by said preexisting visor over said facial opening when horizontally moved to said usage position.   
     
     
         2 . The helmet according to  claim 2  wherein the side guide extends within the underside of said preexisting visor. 
     
     
         3 . The helmet according to  claim 2  wherein the side guide extends within the topside of said preexisting visor. 
     
     
         5 . A protective head covering comprising:
 a preexisting visor, a hard shell casing covering the sides, back, chin and crown of the human head, leaving the facial area exposed;   a pair of grasping means therein hand extending completely along the interior of the preexisting visor, said guides being attached to the preexisting visor substantially parallel to each other and proximate to the left and right of the facial area; and   at least one opaque retrofit visor, wherein said retrofit visor slides within the grasping means to allow bi-directional horizontal movement of said retrofit visor along the guides in the preexisting visor.   
     
     
         6 . The helmet according to  claim 5  wherein the side guide extends within the underside of said preexisting visor. 
     
     
         7 . The helmet according to  claim 5  wherein the side guide extends within the topside of said preexisting visor.